1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates an ultrasound puncture system for conducting the prescribed treatment by puncturing the abdominal wall or the like by employing ultrasound vibrations.
2. Description of the Related Art
Examples of ultrasound puncture systems for conducting the prescribed treatment by puncturing the abdominal wall or the like by employing ultrasound vibrations are described in Japanese Patent Applications Laid-open No. 7-51281 and 2001-104322.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 7-51281 discloses an ultrasound trocar for conducting puncturing so as to form a puncture hole in a tissue with ultrasound vibrations by using a probe with a rounded distal end. In this ultrasound trocar, whether or not the puncture hole has been formed in the tissue is decided by detecting the phase difference between the impedance of the probe, the output voltage, and the output current. Furthermore, with the aforesaid ultrasound trocar, the tissue damage by the puncture hole can be prevented by fixing the ultrasound vibration level of the vibrating distal end portion or by stopping the operation in an inactive idling state in the prescribed cases.
On the other hand, Japanese Patent Applications Laid-open No. 2001-104322 discloses an ultrasound trocar in which a through hole is formed in the distal end portion of the ultrasound probe and a rod-shaped member elastically held by an elastic impelling means is inserted into the through hole. In this ultrasound trocar, piercing of the tissue with the distal end of the probe is detected by the movement of the rod-shaped member when the distal end of the probe punctures the tissue.